Education and Outreach: March 2008

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 20th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will hold two separate sessions this summer (21-25 July and 4-8 August) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. During the program, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. At the end of the week, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science.

Applications are due 1 May 2008. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov.

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics invites applications for a post-doctoral researcher in the area of Mars geology, starting summer 2008. Researchers in the disciplines of geology/geomorphology, geochemistry, geophysics, hydrology, or astrobiology that study the history of water on the Red Planet are encouraged to apply.

Potential applicants are welcome to contact Brian Hynek

(hynek@lasp.colorado.edu) for additional information and to discuss research interests. Send a curriculum vitae, up to 3 articles that are published or in submission, a brief research proposal (up to 2 pages), and the names and contact information of three references.

Applications for this position will be accepted until the position is filled. Submit application materials via e-mail to: HRADS@lasp.colorado.edu or mail to LASP, University of Colorado at Boulder, 392 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0392. In your correspondence, please include the code PDAM0208.

All final applicants being considered for employment are subject to a background investigation including a criminal history check and if necessary, motor vehicle histories check. The University of Colorado at Boulder is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment.

This could be your 90 seconds of fame! NAI is forming a partnership with the American Society of Microbiology's MicrobeWorld radio program, http://www.microbeworld.org, and we're looking for NAI scientists to be subjects of these short segments. They are broadcast on numerous radio stations across the country in the style of NPR's "Earth and Sky" series, and are also are available as podcasts (downloads are in the hundreds of thousands per year). If you're interested, please contact NAI's E/PO Coordinator, Daniella Scalice, daniella.m.scalice@nasa.gov.

Calling all students who are presenting posters at AbSciCon 2008! You're invited to enter your poster in the NAI Student Poster Competition. First prize is $1500, Second prize is $1000, and Third prize is $500! The DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MONDAY, MARCH 17TH. Judges will be recruited from the astrobiology community, and winners will be announced at the start of the afternoon plenary session on Thursday, April 17th. Information on eligibility requirements and online registration can be found here: http://nai.nasa.gov/postercompetition/. NAI is pleased to be continuing this astrobiology community event! Contact Daniella Scalice at NAI Central with questions: daniella.m.scalice@nasa.gov